Well what can I say about Richard. He certainly had an interesting life and he certainly had an interesting wife, to say the least.
Richard was born on 21st March 1899, to Ernest and Emma in Whangarei, New Zealand. He was the 2nd son of the family. I presume that he had a good childhood, though his mother died in 1906. the boys would of been alone with their father, though I am sure their dad and grandparents were great.
Somewhere near the time of Richards 16th year he meet Gladys Eileen Gillbanks, she was two years his senior and already had a daughter Mavis Christina Clare Gillbanks born in 1914 in New Plymouth. I have no knowledge on how they met however I do know that they married just before Richard turned 18; they married on 17th Janurary 1917 at the Dargaville Registery Office in Northland, New Zealand. On the 7th August 1917 they had their first child and only daughter Gladys Elizabeth Catherine Plaisted, all their children were born in New Plymouth, Taranaki, as was Richard's wife Gladys. The next child was Ernest Richard b. 27 Feb 1920. I are not sure what went wrong after this, however something did. it is presumed that Gladys was having an affair, i do know she got pregnant again and had a son Raymond Edgar Claude Plaisted b.22 September 1921, however his father would not acknowledge him as his son, so on his birth certificate is says that Raymond is illigitamate.
Going back to the War years, I recently found Richards War record, it seems that he tired to get into the Army and the documents show al sorts of changes in dates, Richard was at this time underage, so though he did get into the Army for a short while he was dismissed due to the fact that the Army found him out. i would like to think that he tied to join the Army beacuse his older brother Ernest was killed in action in France.
Whatever Gladys was doing, upset Richard so much that he took his two children Gladys and Ernest and went back to Whangarei and his parents. he left Raymond with his wife Gladys. There was no divorce. Gladys got on with her life, she either met another man after Richard had left or this was the man that Richard though or knew she was having an affiar with, I still havent managed to work that out.
In the next eight years Richard was with his parents and children in Whanagrei, working, i still have to connect with this part of the family, though a cousin Greg has help to fill a few blanks. Whilst Richard was working and looking after his two children, Gladys his wife was living with a man named Willliam Robinson. They had six children as far as i can tell all legally illigitimate, however the last was born in a bigamist marriage. Gladys Eileen Plaisted married William Robinson in 1928. Many of the children including Raymond; also known as William Robinson (Bill in later life)were placed into care, this makes her look like a bad mother, however once again I dont yet know. Gladys had a run in with the police due to her bigamist marriage and in Archive New Zealand i have found a Divorce for her and William Robinson in 1934. This is strange and causes more confusion. Gladys and Richard got back together in the 1930ish and had another son Jack Darcy Plaisted on 3 August 1931.
My question is, did he ever accept Raymond as his son or not. From photos of him and his son there is a 95% chance that he was a Plaisted, they both look very life Richards older brother Ernest.
In family stories ti says that Richard was killed in a car accident in 1939 with his son in law Richard Smith. However I have found a discrepancy. If Richard Plaisted was involved in a car accident, then he died months later, I have found there is a few months difference in the deaths. I wonder if he may of been badly injured and died later.
This death notice from his wife Gladys I thought was funny to say the least, they did get back together, however putting in "Beloved husband of Gladys Plaisted" was werid considering they had been appart for 8 years and she had 6 children to a different man.
Next Blog is about Raymond, my childrens Great Grandfather.
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